National Prayer Study
The state of personal spiritual practice in America.
In April of 2023, nearly 1,800 American adults were surveyed about their habits and attitudes regarding prayer and other common spiritual practices. Released on National Day of Prayer, the results show a spiritually active populous whose practices are simultaneously on the rise and becoming more diverse.
America is experiencing a hidden spiritual surge that media largely ignores. With 85% of adults engaged in spiritual practices—most doing multiple activities—prayer has become a defining feature of American life that intensified during COVID lockdowns and never receded. The average person who prays does so twice daily for 18 minutes, but here's what's remarkable: they're more often praying for others than themselves.
From workplaces where 1 in 4 Americans find moments for prayer to homes across the nation, this collective spiritual practice generates enough daily prayer to equal listening to every song on Spotify nine times. Yet 71% of praying Americans say this fundamental reality, one that shapes millions of daily lives, remains absent from our cultural narrative. We're not just a praying nation; we're a nation whose most common act of compassion goes completely unseen.
85% of Americans do some kind of spiritual practice. Most participate in more than one.
The diverse ways Americans ages 18-64 connect with a higher power in contemporary society, examining both traditional religious practices and emerging spiritual pathways.
Prayer
Meditation
Practice Mindfulness
Recite Affirmations
Practice Yoga
Some Other Way
No Connective Practice
While morning and evening remain popular times to pray, there are select moments throughout the day where Americans reach out to their Higher Power.
The surprising moments throughout the day when 18-64 Americans are praying.
Sunrise
Breakfast
Exercise
Before Work/School
Commute
Afternoon
During Chores
While Walking
Sunset
Dinner
Bedtime
Night
Spiritual practice rose during lockdowns (and elevated levels persisted in the years that followed).
How 18-64 year old Americans connected to a Higher Power during Covid-19.
Meditate
Practice Yoga
Practice Mindfulness
Recite Affirmations
Pray
How 18-64 year old Americans connected to a Higher Power after covid.
Meditate
Practice Yoga
Practice Mindfulness
Recite Affirmations
Pray
Americans pray for themselves but are more likely to pray for others’ needs.
The different things Americans ages 18-64 are praying for on a daily basis.
For loved ones during a time of crisis
When someone else was ill
For other people suffering
When I was ill
Before a big trip or journey
During a major storm or weather event
Before making a major financial decision
Before a job interview
To do well on a test or exam
Before a presentation or performance
To overcome an addiction
For my favorite team or athlete to win
None of the above
Americans pray at home and everywhere else they go.
Americans ages 18-64 are praying in just about every place you could imagine.
Bedroom
Car
Place of Worship
In Nature
In the Shower
Work
At a Cemetery
At a Religious Shrine
School
Public Transit
Gym
None of the Above
There are four major spaces where Americans ages 18-64 are praying in the workplace.
Desk/Work Station
Parking Lot
Restroom
Dedicated Space
This data reveals that prayer isn't a fringe activity but a mainstream American practice that helps millions navigate life's complexities. When 85% of adults are spiritually engaged and spending 18 minutes daily in prayer, primarily for others' wellbeing, media organizations are missing the biggest untold story of how Americans actually cope, connect, and care for one another.
Prayer serves as a universal tool for managing the anxiety epidemic gripping our nation, offering a proven pathway for processing stress, finding clarity, and accessing hope when challenges feel overwhelming. It's how a quarter of American workers find peace in demanding workplaces, how families process grief and uncertainty, and how individuals tap into something greater than themselves when human resources feel insufficient.
By continuing to ignore or misrepresent this reality—as 71% of praying Americans report—media organizations aren't just failing to reflect authentic American life; they're depriving audiences of stories about a powerful, accessible resource that transcends political, racial, and economic divides. Prayer doesn't require apps, subscriptions, or special equipment, just intention and time.
Media has an opportunity to reframe prayer not as antiquated or divisive, but as what the data shows it to be: a daily practice of compassion, a mental health tool, and a source of community connection that's already helping millions of Americans navigate an increasingly complex world. It's time to tell the story of prayer as it actually exists, not as ideology, but as humanity in action.
™ is a nonprofit that connects and provides resources to a global, diverse network of media members, content creators, faith leaders, and community members to ensure accurate, balanced representation of all faiths in news and entertainment.
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